The present invention relates to an immobilization system for a motor vehicle.
Motor vehicles have been conventionally immobilized by means of a steering column lock in which rotation of a lock barrel using a key mechanically locks and unlocks the steering column. Such mechanisms are by nature accessible and may relatively easily be overcome by forcing the lock.
The present invention relates to a mechanical immobilization system with an additional electronic locking device remote from the mechanical key means. The use of remote electronic locking in this manner will enable the electronic locking device to be located in a relatively inaccessible location thereby improving the security of the vehicle. The electronic locking device may be arranged to lock any component which must move during driving of the vehicle, for example, the steering column, the transmission, or the gear box of the vehicle.
When using remote locking mechanisms in this manner, it is essential that the locking mechanism is disabled while the vehicle engine is running and/or the vehicle is moving, so that the immobilization system cannot be inadvertently locked under such conditions.